The Daisies Take Seed
by Ella Kelly
Summary: Part 3 of the D&R series, Ella has to choose between Blink and David


"It's good to see you up and about, Kiddo," Jack said about 2 weeks  
after Ella's illness.  
  
"I would have gone crazy cooped up in that room if it hadn't been for  
Blink and David," Ella said, laughing.  
  
"I think we should celebrate, have a big reunion of all the Manhattan  
newsies," David said as he got up to help Blink with the supper  
dishes.  
  
"Good idea Dave. We can get little "boidies" to get the word out.  
We'll have it next week at Irving Hall. It'll be the biggest party the  
newsies have had since the strike rally," Jack said eagerly.  
  
"If we're going to have a party, I'll need to get some fabric for a  
new dress. Do you know of a place where I could buy some?" Ella asked  
handing Blink her plate.  
  
"I knows a place, I'll take ya dere in da morning," Blink said with a  
gentle smile that went all the way to his ice blue eye.  
  
"Great! I'm pretty tired so I think I'll turn in now. 'Night  
everybody."  
  
Ella kissed her brother on the cheek and went to bed. The next day  
Blink woke up bright and early and had breakfast waiting when Ella  
came skipping in with a smile on her face. He noticed her clothing  
matched her vibrant mood. She wore a white shirtwaist and a pale  
yellow skirt. She had a small cluster of daisies pinned on her  
shirtwaist.  
  
"Good morning! Isn't it gorgeous outside today? I envy the birds. They  
get to fly all over the city and see everything," Ella rambled.  
  
"Good morning to you 2. I'm guessing you slept well. Why don't you  
take a breath and have some breakfast," Blink said laughing at her  
enthusiasm.  
  
They cheerfully sat down and ate the breakfast Blink had fixed. After  
they did the dishes, Blink escorted Ella to the dry goods store.  
  
"What color fabric do you think I should get?" Ella said as she began  
to prowl through the aisles of brightly colored fabrics.  
  
"Why don't you get something in blue? Or white?"  
  
"All right. You go sit outside. I want my dress to be a complete  
surprise."  
  
Half an hour later Ella emerged with a large lumpy bundle.  
  
"Is there anything else you need?" Blink asked taking the package from  
Ella and drawing her hand through the crook of his arm.  
  
"Nothing I can think of."  
  
"Let's go to Central Park and walk around. The flowers should be in  
full bloom," Blink suggested.  
  
"But don't you have to work?" Ella asked with a mischievous glint in  
her sapphire blue eyes.  
  
"Who cares about work? It's a beautiful day and I'm out with the  
sweetest girl in the world and I'm gonna make da most of it. Come on!"  
Blink said grapping her hand and dragging her with him as he ran down  
the street, both laughing like little children. They spent the day  
walking through the park, talking and laughing. When they finally  
walked back to Blink's apartment, David was waiting outside.  
  
"Hey Blink. Ella, could I talk to you for a minute?" David asked when  
they reached the building.  
  
"Sure Dave. Blink, why don't you take this stuff upstairs? I'll be  
right up."  
  
Blink nodded, eyeing David suspiciously.  
  
"This won't take long," David said after Blink went into the building.  
" I was just wondering if I could have the honor of escorting you to  
the dance?"  
  
"Well. umm." Ella stammered. If Blink wanted to take me, he would have  
asked today. David is a sweet guy; he'd be fun to go to a party with.  
She thought. "I'd love it if you would be my escort Dave," she said  
firmly. "I'd love to stay and talk but I promised Blink I'd help cook  
supper. I'll see you later."  
  
"What did Dave want?" Blink asked when Ella entered the apartment.  
  
"He offered to be my escort to the dance and I accepted, that's all,"  
Ella said trying an apron over her skirt and started to cut up the  
vegetables Blink had set on the table.  
  
"You're going to the dance with Dave?"  
  
"Well yes. I mean no one had asked me and I didn't want to not have an  
escort to a party that was being held in my honor. Why do you have  
that look on your face Blink? You look like a little kid whose dog  
just died."  
  
"No reason. I guess I didn't expect anyone to ask you to the dance is  
all."  
  
"WHY? Why would nobody ask me to the dance? Am I not pretty enough?  
Not smart enough?" Ella said angrily, her temper getting the better of  
her.  
  
"No, that's not what I meant!" Blink said reaching over to make her  
look at him.  
  
"You know what, I'm going to bed," she said jerking away.  
  
"Ella, wait, please let me explain."  
  
"On second thought, I think I'll go see Sarah. Tell Jack I'll probably  
stay there until the party," Ella said as she stuffed some clothes  
into a carpetbag.  
  
With out looking back she stormed out the door. She did stay with  
Sarah until the party. The 2 girls spent the days working on their  
dresses and becoming very good friends. Ella avoided Blink entirely.  
On the night of dance David arrived promptly on time. Jack was with  
him and they both whisked the girls Irving Hall for the party. Blink  
was sitting at a table alone deep in thought when the 2 couples  
entered. He grew angry at the sight of Ella's arm through David's, her  
smiling and laughing with David like she had with him. He looked  
around and found a girl who wasn't dancing and asked her to dance.  
  
Ella scanned the hall trying to find Blink so she could apologize.  
When she found him, all thoughts of apologizing flew out of her mind.  
He was waltzing with a smiling honey blonde who was flirting  
outrageously with him. What's more her was flirting back. Jealousy  
reared its head; she grabbed David's hand and pulled him onto the  
dance floor. It took her an hour of dancing to cool off. When she  
finally did, she made up her mind to do in the first place.  
  
"David, I've had a wonderful time, but I can't keep pretending. I  
think I'm in love with Blink and I need to know if he loves me. Don't  
be mad, you're one of my dearest friends but I have to be true to my  
heart."  
  
Kissing his cheek, Ella pushed her way through the crowd to find  
Blink. When she finally found him he was up on the roof.  
  
"Blink?" She said tentatively touching his shoulder.  
  
"Ella? Oh God, I'm so sorry. I never meant to make you think I didn't  
think you were pretty, because I think you're beautiful. I was just  
surprised. I was planning to ask you when you came in."  
  
"Blink-" Ella started.  
  
"You have no idea how much I've missed you. I could kick myself for  
hurting you. I want to spend the rest of my life making it up to you ,  
because you are my life," he said as he leaned over and gave her the  
sweetest, most loving kiss she had ever experienced. He continued on.  
" If I didn't have you to love my heart would cease to beat. Will you  
do me the honor of becoming my wife?" he asked holding out a simple  
diamond ring.  
  
"Oh Blink," she gasped tears of happiness in her eyes," Of course I'd  
love nothing more than to marry you. I love you so much!"  
  
" I love you too, Angel."  
  
As she slipped the ring on, to Blink, she had never looked more  
beautiful. The full moon cast a silvery light over the roof. Her light  
brown hair seemed to take on a radiant glow. Her light blue dress made  
her blue eyes, so full of love for him, seem like 2 sapphires to  
Blink. Smiling, he leaned over and kissed her again, letting all the  
emotions inside of him fill that kiss.  
  
And as all good stories go,  
  
They Lived Happily Ever After! 


End file.
